Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Wound Care

With continued medical advances, people are living longer and surviving once-fatal conditions with less than perfect health. As a result, many individuals have difficulty recovering from wounds that the body would otherwise heal automatically. This disruption of healing often results from the natural aging process or from chronic illnesses that include diabetes, arthritis, circulatory disease, and renal failure. Fortunately, many treatments can help people heal wounds that do not heal on their own. For these individuals, The Mount Sinai Hospital offers a specialized wound care program that works in tandem with a patient's other physicians to ensure the best possible treatment.

The program focuses on restoring the natural healing process, often without surgery. Treatment goals include minimizing patient discomfort and inconvenience, while taking advantage of recent advances in wound care. Our specialists study the wound itself, along with the patient's overall medical condition. We develop an individualized treatment plan, generally on an outpatient basis, with regular office visits to review progress and adjust treatment as needed. Additionally, we design a plan of care that patients will often perform at home between outpatient visits with the assistance of family and community health resources, such as visiting nurses, as needed. For patients who require surgery, our plastic surgeons work with other specialists, as needed, to develop operative procedures that accommodate the patient's other health care issues.